nburge's training log

[nburge]

OK here we go.... first workout out of the way! Huzzah! Stats at start (10.2.09) - Body weight 87kgs, body fat 26.3% (as per scales in the bathroom), height 6 foot one (hopefully this won't change....)
Goals:
Body weight 100kgs
Body Fat 15% (or lower)
Bench 100kgs
Press 75kgs
Deadlift 200kgs
Squat 150kgs

Today I started with workout A, even though I've been training again for about 6 months I stuck to the empty bar. So:
Squat 5x5 x 20kgs
Bench 5x5 x 20kgs
Inverted Row 15 x 12 x 10 (with feet flat on floor)
Push Up 15 x 12 x 4 (God I didn't realise I was so bad at these!)
Reverse Crunch 15 x 15 x 15 (these look easy on the site but are NAILS!).

All in all I thought it was a great session - really challenging with the body weight exercises, and even though the 20kgs bar isn't challenging for me at present it certainly makes you focus on form, and I can feel my legs after the squats. Loving the deep dive on those too - far too long have I been bobbing on my knees thanks to Personal Trainers - I really enjoyed their dirty looks this afternoon!

Anyway - off to drink my milk. Any comments most welcome.

Cheers!

Neil.

[guru]

Good Neil, congratulations for the log!

Inverted Row 15 x 12 x 10 (with feet flat on floor)

by this you mean knees bent, is it? In that case, you should go for straight legs next time, since the numbers are really good.

Good you've decided to focus on technique. Lot of time to address it till the lifts get heavy. Have you got Starting Strength?

Drink your milk. I drink half litre with whey after my workout. Delicious.

- Guru

[nburge]

Hey Guru - thanks for the advice. Yes, I meant knees bent with the inverted rows - I'd been doing them since the start of this year as a change from bent over rows, but could only do 3 or 4 before failing. I thought this method was much better (I certainly feel like I've done more of a workout) than when I'd previously tried. That said I used to do them at the end of a shoulder/back workout that included lat pulldowns and other shoulder work. I'll try doing that with straight legs next time and see how I get on. What ought I be aiming for?

One thing about the milk though - I normally drink LOTS of water. I mean, cup after cup, all day long. I've often thought it was excessive.... anyway, I've just replaced my water with milk (amid a lot of derision from my co-workers "Oh my god, you can't drink that much whole fat milk a day" etc etc) but should I be drinking water too?

Looking forward to posting some bigger numbers shortly....

[guru]

Hi Neil,

I'll try doing that with straight legs next time and see how I get on. What ought I be aiming for?

Don't aim for anything in particular, just do them & stop a rep short of failure. You could expect a drop of 20-25%. When these become ease, elevate your feet on a bench to make them harder. After you get 15 first set on those, then it's time to add weights & do 3x5.

but should I be drinking water too?

Yes, though you can reduce the amount a bit, because milk does contain water.

Will be visiting your log now & then.

- Guru

[nburge]

Workout B:
Squats 5x5 22.5kg
Press 5x5 20kg
Deadlift 5x5 40kg
Chin ups (not in the gym, so had to chin up on a flight of stairs to the above landing) 2x1x1
Prone bridges 3x30s - have been doing these for a while - what do people think about using a powerplate whilst doing these to increase intensity? Useful, or rubbish?

Feeling quite sore on my back today..... still, it feels good. I can definitely feel the difference of doing a full body workout rather than focusing on arms, legs back etc each time.

[taifun]

Hi nburge, good start!

A plate can add intensity to the bridges for sure, or you can do what I do and add time.

[nburge]

Thanks Taifun! I'm going to be back in the gym from tomorrow onwards so I'll have the plate then. I've also use a gym ball under my feet to make it harder previously - its an excercise I really like. But again - I don't want to break with the programme if I'm doing something wrong...

[guru]

Don't worry Neil,

You're not deviating from the program if you make an exercise harder. That's innovation. Also, you can definitely add plate, but you'll need somebody to keep it properly on your back.

Mehdi has other ideas to make them harder too...read the e-book.

- Guru

[nburge]

Workout A again today... although I tried a different branch of my gym which didn't have a squat rack. Or a bench press. Seriously... there's loads of room in there for pulleys and chains but not a single bench press, which has to be the most popular piece of kit in any gym... anyway, I am only using light weights so squatted using the bar with some weights added, and used a spare bench to do my bench presses, which wasn't ideal as I had to pick the bar up whilst sat down etc etc..... I won't be going back to that one anyway.

Squat 25kgs 5x5
Bench 22.5kgs 5x5
Inverted Row (with straight legs) 8x7x7 (very happy with this, although I still think I can get better here)
Press up 15x13x6 - improved on last time, pretty pleased with that
Rev.Crunch - 15x15x15 - still really like this exercise even if I can do it without making it harder.

Off out to bore the missus over Valentine's dinner with my new regime... all she wants is me to get that V-line at the bottom of my abs.... it'll come.....

Ta,

Neil.

[guru]

I won't be going back to that one anyway.

Bingo. No squat rack, it's not worthy being called a gym.

it'll come.....

It will indeed.

[nburge]

Right, back in the saddle this morning - normally I cycle to and from work, but have taken a hiatus from this recently due to the snow in the UK.... so from now on I'll be riding 10 miles a day. Not sure it'll be good for the weight gain, but should at least ensure this full fat milk doesn't do too much damage to my already bulging beer gut.

Squats 27.5kgs 5x5
Press 22.5 kgs 5x5
Deadlift 45kgs 1x5
Pull ups 3x2x1 (thought I'd be better than that!)
Prone briges (with swissball under my feet and arms resting on a Powerplate) 30s x 3

It all felt quite easy this morning. Maybe the warmup cycle ride did it.... or maybe the good nights' sleep... certainly it was good to have a reason to go to bed early on a Sunday.

Also back in the eggs on toast breakfast routine - loving it.

Now, back to what I'm paid to do ...

[nburge]

OK, forget the cycling - bloody back tyre popped on the way in this morning, so I had to drag it back home, jump on the tube and then go to the gym. Luckily all the management are out today, so I still had "time" to do the workout...

Squat 30kgs 5x5
Bench Press 25kgs 5x5
Inverted Row 12x8x7 - really pleased with this. I amazed myself that I could suddenly get to 12 with straight legs)
Press ups 15x13x6 (I can do more than 15 on the first set, but stop - should I always go to failure?)
Reverse crunches 15x15x15

Feeling pretty good this morning though (maybe because I've not had a beer since the weekend) and I'm looking forward to the trips to the gym on this programme. Hopefully that sticks with me, as it's a new feeling and I like it.

Keep up the work chaps!

Neil.

[Vlad]

Hi Nburge.

Thanks for visiting my log. Do not hesitate to ask me how to get rid of pain. I have had it almost in every part of my body, and as you can see I can do some workouts . I am not totally pain free. But I got rid of most of it.

Good luck with the program!

Vlad

[nburge]

OK - weighed myself this morning... on the tanita scales in the bathroom. Those things are a joke, but hey I don't much care about the numbers if I get stronger and get a 6 pack! (long way off!). So I'm now allegedly 91.1kgs and 25.5% fat, which would seem to be a dramatic improvement already! We'll see.

Workout B today:
Squat 32.5kgs 5x5
OHP 25kgs 5x5 (started squeezing my glutes on this which was odd, and this was harder than I thought it would be. Hopefully a long way from stalling though)
Deadlift 50kgs 1x5 - really focused on form, and could feel my back tensing. Also switched to the both palms facing me grip, which didn't seem to make any difference. If it's harder and I don't notice it, that's a good thing!)
Chin ups - 3x1x1 - although I decided to go until failure, then do 5 reps of jumping with the upswing and controlling my descent after each set - hard!)
Prone bridges 3x30s on a powerplate with a swiss ball under my feet. Might start mixing in some of the other suggestions on here to keep this challenging.

All in all a good day. I have a feeling the weight I've gained is a massive ball of milk that's stuck in my guts somewhere, although the back of my suit did stretch more than usual when I tried to put my backpack on last night.... I'll just keep plugging away at the weights and hopefully I'll lose the gut one day.

Have a good weekend guys! I'm not training now until monday...

[nburge]

Oh - one quick addition. Have also been cycling (once the bike was fixed) to and from work, so there was another 3 hours of cardio (I know I probably shouldn't do it, but it's cheaper, more fun and healthier than the tube) as I will also have ridden 36 miles this week.